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Chicken in the Pot

Author Notes:My mom used to make a chicken dish that I just adored. I never had anything like it--the closest was a version of chicken scarpariello that a local restaurant used to serve. She got this recipe from one of the women who worked for us in the 1960's. (Have you read "The Help?" That was my mother's life.) When I asked her for the recipe, she said, "If I made this today, I'd have children flying in from out of state to eat." —drbabs

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1
chicken, cut into parts, breasts cut into half (Or any combination of chicken parts you want; just cut the breasts in half so all the pieces are roughly the same size.)

In a cast iron dutch oven or large deep skillet (the "pot"), melt butter. When the butter is hot, add the chicken pieces a few at a time and brown well on all sides over medium-high heat. Set them aside as they are browned. (Do this in batches so the pieces aren't crowded. )

Reduce heat to low. Stir garlic chunks into the butter and put the chicken pieces back into the pot. Cook, covered, for 30-45 minutes, opening the pot every 15 minutes or so and turning the pieces so that they cook well on all sides. When done, the chicken will be very brown and there will be a delicious pan drippings.

Remove the chicken and keep warm. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour to the remaining pan drippings and cook till thickened. (You're essentially making a roux.) Stir in sherry and chicken broth and cook over low heat. You will have a thick sauce with chunks of garlic in it.

Serve the chicken with rice and pass the sauce separately.

Mashed potatoes are also nice with this. (My mother used to serve it with Minute Rice and canned baby peas, but you don't have to.)

I guess the sherry doesn't count? LOL! My mom used to make this with "dumplings." These were made with beaten eggs mixed with flour, and a touch of salt. They were simmered off to the side and the gravy and chicken was placed on top. Yum, yum, yum.

I know--isn't this great how everyone jumped in and found old recipes and added photos? This could be a cookbook in itself--taking an old family favorite and then updating it and including photos and stories.

It was--I haven't tried to make it in ages (and I don't have her heavily seasoned cast iron skillet)--but I'm going to this week and hope to have photos. Funny you mention secret ingredients. I asked her if there was anything else--like did she deglaze the pan with wine? And she said, "Do you think I would give my children wine?"